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Absentee voting begins

Absentee ballots have arrived for the Nov. 2 general election, and those who need to vote absentee can now do so, Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis said.
“We got the ballots in Friday and were ready to go this morning,” said McGinnis Monday afternoon.
On the ballot locally for the general election are two races (District 2 and At-Large) for the Oktibbeha County School District Board of Trustees, as well as those for Circuit Court and Chancery Court judges and for the U.S. House of Representatives.
In order to vote absentee, residents must meet one of the following conditions as set forth in state law:
• The voter is an enlisted or commissioned member of any component of the U.S. Armed Forces and a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse of dependent of a such a member.
• The voter is a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross and is a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse of dependent of a such a member.
• The voter is a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any hospital or is a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse of dependent of a such a member.
• The voter is a civilian attached to and serving outside the U.S. with any branch of the armed forces, Merchant Marine or Red Cross, and is a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse of dependent of a such a member.
• The voter is a citizen of Mississippi temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States and District of Columbia.
• The voter is a citizen of Mississippi enrolled as a student at a U.S. Military Academy.
• The voter is a student, teacher or administrator and a college, university, junior college, high school, junior high school or elementary school whose studies or employment necessitate the absence from the county of his or her voting residency.
• The voter will be outside the county on election day.
• The voter is age 65 and older.
• The voter is the parent, spouse or dependent on someone with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside his county of residence more than 50 miles away and will be with that person on election day.
• The voter is a member of the congressional delegation or spouse or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation.
• The voter is required to be at work on election day during the times the polls will be open.
Absentee voting may take place at the Circuit Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse Annex from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. weekdays. Residents who need to vote absentee by mail can request ballots by calling the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 323-1356.

Voter registration deadline Friday

The deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 2 general election is Saturday.
Voters may register at the Circuit Clerk’s Office in the Oktibbeha County Courthouse Annex 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Friday. The office will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 2 for a final registration opportunity.
State law mandates that voters be registered at least 30 days prior to an election.
Those voters needing to update their registration information for a name or address change are also encouraged also do so at the Circuit Clerk’s Office by Saturday McGinnis said.
For more information on this year’s election, call the Circuit Clerk’s Office at the number above during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Monday to Friday.